Chemistry Students’ Difficulties in Learning Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
Chemistry Students’ Difficulties in Learning Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Summary/Abstract: The study explored students’ learning difficulties in oxidation-reduction reactions at the senior high school level; as part of a major research project. The research approach for the project was a four-stage design-based research, using qualitative and quantitative methods. At the preliminary stage which is reported in this study, 213 third year students were sampled. All samples were selected through stratified and simple random sampling procedures. The students responded to a two-tier diagnostic test and interviews on conception of oxidation-reduction reactions. In analysing the data, descriptive statistics and themes were used. The findings show that students had conceptual difficulties in the form of alternative conceptions and other difficulties such as conceptualising oxidising agents using the combined concept of oxidation and ionic charge. It was therefore recommended that Chemistry teachers should deploy the most appropriate pedagogical content knowledge that could help students conceptualise very well the concept of oxidation number and not to confuse it with ionic charges of particles involve in chemical equations.

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